The City of Freiburg
Freiburg was founded in the 12th century and has kept in its architecture a silent witness of a fascinating history moving from a major commercial, intellectual, and ecclesiastical centre of the upper Rhine region towards a cosmopolitan university town with a high quality of life, where tradition and modernity, nature, climate and culture blend harmoniously.
Best university town, solar power region, sunniest place in Germany, green city and great soccer team; are among of the most popular ideas when Germans are asked to offer their first thoughts about Freiburg. But why this tiny German city situated in the heart of one of the major wine-growing regions and primary tourist entre-port to the scenic beauty of the Black Forest has become so popular?
Maybe the answer is that Freiburg put an early focus on sustainable environmental-, solar- and bio-technologies that gave it a cutting edge in international competition, added to the Eco housing, car-free streets and socially conscious neighbors that make of Freiburg a well known green city.
"One district in the Black Forest manages to cover 140% of its energy requirements with biogas, solar, wind and water power". Innovation Academy, Freiburg.
"The citizens of Freiburg are known in Germany for their love of cycling and recycling." The guardian. UK.
"Currently, almost 10,000 people work in the environmental and solar sectors in Freiburg". City of Freiburg.